Sunday, March 30, 2008

Happy 1st Birthday, Rylan!

366 Days ago you came into our lives, and we've been smitten ever since! You are such a happy, content baby! You're a mama's boy, and I love it! Those big brown eyes melt my heart! You're sweet, lovable, and laid back but "Watch Out!" If you get riled up about something, everyone will hear about it! Your first word was "Mama," which was such a gift to me since "Dada" was the only vocabulary of your siblings for a long time! The only other recognizable word you say is "Ry-Ry," the name lovingly given to you by your sister! You also make sounds like a duck and even flap your arms occasionally! You've been a real trooper through your endless Dr. appointments, difficult feedings, palatal obturator, and surgery! You did better than I could have ever imagined! I was sad that my baby would never look the same again. I didn't even recognize you after surgery! But now I am attached to your "new look" and can hardly remember you any other way! Your new precious smile opened up those big, brown eyes, my gift to you! You're a little lazy in your advanced age! You just began "creeping" this month and getting yourself into a sitting position this week! I feel sure you will make excellent progress in the near future! You will have surgery again in two weeks! It will be interesting this time since you are "mobile" and feeding yourself! The arm restraints and liquid diet will not satisfy you, I'm sure! However, you have amazed me before with your ability to adapt! I love you more than you will ever know. I am so thankful for my "little" surprise! You have been in our lives for only a year, but it feels like forever in my heart! It's as though you've always been with me! Happy 1st birthday, Rylan Nathanael!

2 comments:

Wow, that brought tears to my eyes! I love the slide show! Seeing that cute chunk makes me want to pinch those leg and kiss those cheeks and just love on him for a while. He is definitely such a blessing! Happy Birthday, Rylan. We love you!

I can not express the gift that you just gave to me this morning by your beautiful slide show. All your children are beautiful...absolutely beautiful. Rylan reminds me so very much of Reid in so many ways. Reid's surgery will be coming up in May, and I pray it turns out as well as Rylan's. His lip is beautiful...and what a priceless smile he has. Thank you for your slide show today. I needed to see that. All these trials that we go through as parents....and cleft parents....are so worth every moment when you see such a pricelsss smile. God bless you all!!! And, Happy Birthday, Rylan.